PROMINENT republican Thomas “Slab” Murphy has withdrawn an appeal against his 18 month prison sentence for tax evasion.
The 67-year-old, whose farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, straddles the border, had pleaded not guilty at the non-jury Special Criminal Court to nine charges of failing to comply with tax laws in the Republic for the years 1996/97 to 2004.
The three-judge Special Criminal Court found Murphy guilty on all counts and he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on February 26 last.
In an unsuccessful appeal against conviction, Murphy's lawyers told the Court of Appeal that their client had “nothing to do with cattle farming” and that the authorities “went after” Thomas Murphy for tax his brother, Patrick, had already paid.
Last week his conviction appeal was dismissed on all grounds.
Murphy's lawyer then asked the court for time to allow instructions be taken to see whether an appeal against sentence was being pursued.
He told the court today however that the appeal was being withdrawn.
Murphy was not in court today.
